WATCH | Video of Julius Malema paying tribute to Andrew Mlangeni resurfaces - 'he never sold out'

As South Africans mourn the death of struggle veteran Andrew Mlangeni, a video of EFF leader Julius Malema singing his praises resurfaced on social media.

The video is from May last year, during the funeral service of the EFF leader's grandmother, Sarah. Malema praised Mlangeni for his loyalty to the ANC and dedicating his life to fight injustice during the apartheid era.

Mlangeni died on Tuesday after he was admitted to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria on the same day with an abdominal complaint. 

In 1992, he was awarded the Isithwalandwe Seaparankwe for his contribution in the fight for liberation. During the service, Malema said Mlangeni rightly received the honour, saying he “never, not for a second, doubted the struggle”.

Malema said Mlangeni was loyal to the ANC and that he refused to leave the party even when veterans were recruited to join COPE when it was formed.

“He said, 'I will never leave [the ANC] even with all its problems',” Malema said, as he recounted Mlangeni's response. The firebrand leader said asking him to leave the ruling party was “asking him to leave himself”.